NFL Films President Steve Sabol Dead at 69

Steve Sabol, the president of NFL Films who helped document pro football as it became the most popular sport in America, died Tuesday at age 69 after an 18-month fight against brain cancer.

In an obituary released by the NFL, the league credited Sabol with implementing storytelling innovations such as super slow-motion, reverse angle replay and dramatic narration and musical scores that often accompanied NFL highlights during his long tenure at NFL Films, the company founded by his father, Ed, in 1962. You can see an example of Sabol's NFL Films work, narrated by the late John Facenda, in the video below:

“Steve Sabol was the creative genius behind the remarkable work of NFL Films,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Steve’s legacy will be part of the NFL forever. He was a major contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we look at football and sports, and a great friend.”

Sabol won more than 40 Emmy awards for his various contributions in writing, directing, producing and editing for NFL Films. Steve Sabol helped induct Ed Sabol into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Steve Sabol is survived by his wife, Penny, his son Casey, his parents Audrey and Ed (who is 96) and his sister Blair.